‘by Christina Robinson, Monroe County Director
2020 has not been the year anyone expected, but during all that has come this year there is much I am thankful for. Since my husband and I were first introduced to The Restore Network at a 101 class in 2016 we felt like family. As we began our fostering journey we often dreamt what it would look like if the Lord would grow Restore to service Monroe County. Watching the Lord work to bring this dream to reality has been my one of my greatest joys. And while 2020 wasn’t the year for a lot of new things to begin, what a blessing it has been to be in Monroe for such a time as this.
“To make it on this journey we must learn to fill that space between ‘this is what we hoped for’ and ‘this isn’t what we signed up for’ with the belief that God is good and sovereign- and the absolute conviction that this work is worth it.”
– JasonJohnsonblog.com
Perhaps even more than years past this has been the year we have had to let go of that we hoped for and rest in the truth that God is good. The children and families we serve have experienced delays, obstacles, and frustrations but through it all we stood together for the sake of the vulnerable knowing it is worth it.
We have seen families added to the network and walked beside families that are saying ‘Yes!’ to vulnerable kids from those that are just beginning to amazing families that have been opening their homes for many years. Yes, this year has brought new challenges for these families but we are better together. New friendships have been made as we creatively found ways to support and encourage each other, wrapping around precious children as they have entered our homes, and rejoicing well when a family was reunified.
One of our foster mamas recently said after baby boy went home to his dad, “We have to believe that God’s plan is bigger than anything we could imagine, He’s going to do incredible things in and through this little one’s life.” As we celebrate one year of Restore serving Monroe county this is where I rejoice and where my hope and prayer for the next years is- that Gods plan is bigger and better than anything we could dream or plan and as we walk besides these amazing families that His name would be made known throughout our county.